Luke 9:23-25

 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Luke 9:23-25

Jesus presents us with a divine paradox: lose your life to save it. Like a seed that must die to produce fruit, we must die to ourselves to experience the abundant life Christ promises. The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful, unwilling to release what possessed him, never knowing the blessing on the other side of surrender. What are you clinging to that’s hindering your spiritual progress? Your reputation? Your comfort? Your plans? 

The world tells you to save yourself, promote yourself, love yourself. Jesus says the opposite. When you try to hang on to your life, you lose it. But when you willingly lose your life for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s, you discover life as God intended—abundant, fruitful, and eternally significant. Today, what will you bury in the ground so that much fruit can grow?

Pastor Wade O’Neill